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3. t e e .n s S t e Du h s 4 N 0 T G .N I R R O C M n. d k0 M 0 W ELECTRO MECHANICAL BLOCK SICNALINC APPARATUS. No. 496,041`

Patented Apr. 25, l893.

CUM/ve who/z- JNC Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

M. CORRINGTGN. l .ELECTRO MECHANICAL BLOCK SIGN'ALING APPARATUS.

No. 496,041. PatentedApr. 25, 1893.

1 x l I Suva/nto?,

n :95%, im; @mommy 56W Z f MTE* ,ities aten-rf; MURRAY'- constateren, oFfNEw Yoan, Ni Y.

' {eiserne-MEcHAnseAL etocnsieNALiNc APPAnAi-us.

I L senctntcafrzoiv foming par@ 5f- Letters f Application ned April y26, 1292.

To all' w/bom, it may concern,.-

Be ,it known that LMURRAY C'oRRINGroN,

.V acitizen ef the United States of America, re-

. whichithefollowing is a specification.

siding at New York," in the county 'and State :,ctvN'ewYork, have invented certain new and ynsetnl improvements-in Electro-Mechanical BlocklSignaling Apparatus for Railways, of

Mylinvention relates to an organization ofA signaling apparatus commonly termed the i leloclr. systemihe essential feature of which fLconsists-in the arbitrary division of the line -Y cgt' vvarailway into a series` of successive seoi tiens, otconvenient length,'according'to the 'fvraijlwayshallbe so controlled or directed by tl'iein.dication s of the signals exhibitedat'or .f neaiiftheentrance to each "block,v that only a.

'25. -f `g the limits ci anyone section at the sanne time.

single train shall be permitted to be `within .Witty/invention comprises mechanism where-V f' ylhynppnthe?entranceo a locomotive or train l vitticaniocifsectien, a visual signal denoting f,.linefplcckedftis exhibited at the entrance fof saidi block, eitherby a signalinan, or by the 1- antcniaticactioniof, the train itself, and such signal is furthermore, provided with a locky ingde'vice, which automatically secures it in t snchlposition'until the train whose rear is prbbefct-ed by ithas iliade its exit from the dis. 'tant'rend oi the block, andfhas passed under.

the protection of the next signal in the series.`

The first; mentioned signal may then 'be uuloclted orreleasedand movedr into posi-tiontc denctefline clearibythe.manual opera'-l .,-tien..of ,thesignai-man. In' order'to accomf plisli.thisgihoweveigthe signalinan is coinf 15` i .predetermined vpositron.

, t it'can i he released..onlybythe action of an En'- yelectnicali current.t

stnittved from-.the neit,

inection invwhichthe Signaling point in. th

' `tn 'ain ymoves.l '"Hencegeachysignal, when in pcfv raient NQ. 496,041, dated April 25, 18193'. serial No. 430,730. on man.)

sition indicating line bl'ocked, is doubly secured, first bya mechanical lock, and second bylan electro-mechanical loclr. l

' My invention also comprises meansof locking the signal operating lever in a pesition indicating line clear, except when a train is about to enter the block, together with a visual indicator by means of which ihe'sign alman at each signaling point is advised ot the presence of atrain on the'adjacentblock .inv either direction.. l

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis' a diagram showing in outline lthe essential portions of the apparatus at three adjacent and consecutive` signal stations" upon the line of a double-trackrailway, with the'electrical connections between them. Fig. 2 is a side uelefvaation (partlyinsection)o,f, the apparatus whereby the signal may be manually operated by the signalman; and Fig. 2 is adetail View apparatus shown in Fig; 2, showing'the visual indicator. Fig. 4 isa plan illustrating the 'operation of the 'trackinstruinent by which the signal is automatically caused 'to be exhiblted by the action of a moving train. Fig.

vationvot the saine, the latter showing the signal: Figs. 7 and 8 shew a track-instrument, and the locking apparatus'of the handlever, in elevation and plan respectively.

Referring iirst to Figs. il, 5 and 6, A represents a semaphore signal of the'form coinmonly 4used on railways, consistingof an arm vpivoted to an upright post alongside the track of the railway, and when in theposition shown vin. the ligure', indicatingv go on or line clear to the engineerof an approaching train, but when desiredto 'signify stop or line vbloc'kedis raised Lto' a horizontal position bydrawing down the 'vertical rod d.

.connection with anv inclined treadlegiconsistcal, C,... at 12",- whichvertical at its 5 is a side elevation, and Fig; 6 aV front ele- This movement isl eiected' vby aniechanicai' ing of one or more bars B"v BQ'Which lienearlyV in ycross-section, of a portion 'of the same. Fig. 3 isa front elevation of a portion of the IOO lower end c, slides through a guide c'. The

treadle-bars normally lie ata small angle with each other as shown, and their inner ends are raised a little above the top of the rail D, as best seen in Fig. 6. A bell-crank lever'O is pivoted at one end to the vertical bar C and turns upon pivot ci, while its other end is jointed -bya link C2 to the horizontal sliding rod la", which may extend any required disf tance to another pivoted bell-crank a? which communicates motion to the rod a and semaphore A. The treadle-bars B' B may be depressed, so as to place the semaphore Ain a positionindicating stop,V in either one of two ways, namely, by the manual actof the signalm`an, or by the passage o f a moving train. The treadle-bars B B' and the semaphore A Ias ' are normally maintained in the position shown in Fig. 6, mainly by the action of a strong ,3gl

spring b?, which depresses the longer arm of a transverse lever B; The shorter end of this- 1ever,lwhic h is pivoted ,at b2, engagesv at c with the vertically moving bar C which receives its movement 'from the. treadle-bars,

while` itsopposite end bears against and rests upon` a cam E, which is Iixedu on the same axis;c1 with atoothed lpinion E A horizontal rod F carries at its extremity a rack F',

'which engages with 'the pinion E and thus which the signalman mayactuate, among serves to 'rotate the cam E.

In Fig.' ,F5 is a hand-lever, bymeans of other things, 'the rod F above referred to. This lever is pivoted at f to an upright standard upon the door of the signal-cabin,and its short end is jointed toa rod 4F4 which takes hold of a bell-crank lever li3 which is pivoted at f, and whose other arm is jointed to the rod F by which the camE is rotated, as hereinbefore explained. Hence'it will be understood lthat the signah'nan, by moving the handlever F5 from an intermediate position, as shown infull lines lin Fig. 2,'in the direction i indicated by the longer arrow in the, same tignre, will raise the long end of the lever B, de-

-pressing the treadle-bars B B', and raising the semaphore A into 'a position indicating y .stop. -The Asame result will Abe eec'ted if A bythe mechanical impact of v a moviug'train 4thetreadle-bars are depressed by the` weight or impact of a passing train.-

Whenthe ,semaphore Ais tobe displayed 'ipon the'ht'readle-bars B' B', it may happen that some of' .the connecting parts would be broken in case the connectionsthetween said treadle barsxand the semaphore .are maderigid. In order to obviatethis diiliculty, the

` stout spring (J3 is placed u ponthe rod as, and

bears with one end agaiusta shoulder at the end ofsaid rod whilie .its other end bears Vagainst the sliding .block Cupon said rod,

' which block is connected to the link C?. Where the first :instanca by lthe, block C* movingthewheels of the movingtrain strike and'depress the treadle-bars, the spring acts to take -up the power of `the sudden hlowjupon saidtreadle-bars. Said spring is compressed in locked inv the position to which they have been moved by the train, as will he fully explained hereinafter, the recoil of the spring C?, actingupon the rod as, will cause said semaphoret be raisedto the proper position. I

When movement above referred to'has been effected, either manually or automatically,l the lever Bas' well as" the semaphore A and' .all the parts' dependent thereupon, are prevented from resuming theirY normal positions by a stop G', which being i'orced outwardly by a strong spring g,.slips under the-raisedend of the lever B, thus eectually locking it inA position to display the signal Line blocked,l ven after the actuating force has been with- IHVU.

along'the rod a, and, as said treadl'e-bars'arc i dependent locking devices, oueof which is unlocked by the moving train while passing4 lthe signalingpoint, andthe other -by an' electric current, transmitted at the proper time' from the next' stationin the direction toward' which the train is' moving..

The hand-lever -F is mounted Ylnandsupb ported hy a' standard, iitted with aquadrant H in which areformed two concentricigrooves .or channels hs and h4, communicating with each other at both ends by transverse channels h9 and hlt. At the bottonrfio'feach of thesetransverse channel/slare're'cesseshf h2. An angular pin or projection h, which-takes into the channels above reterred to, is xed' upon the lockingrodf, which -moves longi tudinally in guides 'attached to the hand-lever F5 and' is 'actuated 'by a handpiece f2.

-The hand-lever .is shown vin Fi". .2 in full -lines in an intermediate position, 4as when' passing from the position-indicating ,F go on to the position indicating l"stop... .-v If it were desired, for instance, to move thehandflever intol the position corresponding withthe indication go on or' line clear, as* indicated hy dotted lines in'Fig. 2, this could. not'. be

done directly, as thef'path of the pin h'would be'. blocked by 'the pivoted gravitating stop ha, :The pin h must therefore first be moved -A -i-nto the transverse channelhl, (passing the gravity stop h5' on the L vvay,) l'thence up. into the upper channel h? (provided thc stop I has been released, as hereinafter explained) .and

thence past the vgravity stops h6 and hi, coming to rest at length in the 'recess h.. It will.

be understood from thisdescripti'ou', therefore, that when thepih 'h is at I'eS-t ill th@ l'e.'

cess hthe semaphorcAmust of necessity be ma posities indicating stop' or 1 line I,

blocked, and that thesignalman cannot possibly change this indication by moving the- `A are securely 'locked in that position except while a train is actually passing the signaling point at the entrance of the block. v It is to be understood that the semaphore signals are designed primarily to be operatedbythe signalman, and' thatthe'automatic apparatus for actuating them is provided merely as an additional safeguard, -so that the signal will automatically be moved into position to block the line, in case the signalman, from `an cause,'should'fail to do so.

The function ot' the looking device referred to, ist preventthe possibilityof the signalvthe hand-lever corresponds with the indicaman moving. his hand-lever into a position which will permit an electric impulse to be transmitted to clear the signal at the entrance of the block at station last passed, until the train has passed completely outof the block which is 'guarded thereby.

The operation o this part' of the mechanism is as follower-The forward position ,of

tieni. l-ineblocked, andthe; backward posi'- A tion (shown in dotted lines) with the indicaltion line clear. When the blockvin advance of any station has been cleared, and the handlever has lbeeny moved. in to its backward position and locked there, -the corresponding` rsemaphore must indicate line clea'rl The' lrules of operation will instruct the signalman,

upon lthe near approach ot' a train, to grasp the'event that the signalman fails to moveA his hand-lever into its forward or blocking` 6o duty,

his hand-lever and be ready .to move Iit into its forward orblocking position. As soonas the unlocking mechanism, (which should be locatedl about twenty-fi ve yardsin advance of thetrackfinstrument for .operating the' signals) is actuated' by thetrain, the signalA is shifted intov position .to indicate line blocked for the'protectionof the rear of the train'. -By thus Aordinarily operating ,the semaphore by hand,the shock, and resulting Wear Vand tear, necessarily resulting from the operation of the signal by thefimpact of a rapidly moving train'is avoided. In'casethe signalman for any reasonfails to'perform his the signal is nevertheless actuated by the train-so as to indicateline blocked. ln

position, during the time it remains unlocked f by the action of the passing tra-in, orbefore '65 i -matically into position 4to `indicate "f line.

such train has passed` by, it mustV remain `locked -in` the backward position until relea'sed'by the v'next succeeding train. The semaphore willnevertheless 'be lmoved autolblocked. A necessary result of this is, that thelever camnotA be moved so' es to complete. the electric circuit forstransmitt-ing an impulse to effect the clearingof the signal at the station last passed, and'thislmusuin suchcase, be done in some special way'whichmay be provided Afor emergencies. Any negligence `on the part of the signalinan would tlierefore be immediately detected. The mechanism for eecting these results will now be described; A rod 'r6 (Figs) is attached to the beilcrank lever` F3 and hence must partake of the movements of the| hand-lever F5., Referring now to Fig. 8, it will be seen that this rod F6 is connected to a slideF7 which moves in a guideplate F8, (shown in plan in Fig. Sand in crosssection in Fig. 7.) )Vhen the hand-lever F5 is in the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, the bolt t will be thrustfthrough the coinciding bolt-holes t in slide F7 and guideplate F8, and theslide will be thereby securely locked.` The unlocking of the `slide F7 is ef` fected by the action ofthe passing train, which depresses a pair of jointed tiearlle-bais,(shown in Figs. 7 and S) which treadle-bars, and their. attachments, being essentially the same as those heretofore described-and shownin Fig.

.5, require no additional detailed description in this place. The treadle-bar's referred to are normally maintained in position to be actuated by the train, by a spring t2. l lf desired,

lthese treadle-bars maybe made of sufficient length so that they will remain depressed during the time of passage of an entire train, it being necessary only that they shall be able to engage any 4two of the successive wheels of atrain at the same time. Other'well-known retarding devices may be applied to the Vtreadle-bars with like effect.

After the foregoing description, the mode of loperation of the apparatus may more readily be understood by reference to Fig. l. The diagram represents two complete block sections of a double-track railway, havingthree IOO signal-stations, designated respectively. as B C and D. The apparatus at station Bis shown ,in its normal position, when no trainis occupying either theblock in advance or that in the rear.V The handdever F5 is in position to hold the semaphore jat line. clear and is locked in such position by the bolt t at the same' time causing the indicatorklFigs. 2 and l 3) to exhibit the Word Clear (referring to 'the condition of the track between Band C). .The indicator J 'at the same time( exhibits the words ,'llrain off, showing that the block from A to B is also clear. The apparatus at station C is however, representedin a diter! jent position, forl the reason that a train X has just passed station C and is now occupying the block between O and D. n passing the station at C it has unlockedthe hand-lever, in the manner hereinbefore set forth, which lever has accordingly been shifted into the position shown. This movement offshifting the handlevci' performs three distinct operationsz First, changing the semaphore A to indicate lineblocketh second,ch`angingtheindicator is' y 'from Vhen the train in itsprogress reaches clear to blockedf? and third, clos- 'jing a break in an electric circuit at the switch for a purpose hereinafter explained. AThe action -or the signalman, or. the passage of the train over the treadle-bars, will have actt'latedV the lever B at station C, thus raising the rod n' and actuating the circuit-changer R (Figs. 1

g and thus temporarily transmitting a curlatch n to release the indicator J f-'once' drawn down by spring j2 so as to display the vwords Train on, thereby notifying the i l rent from'the batteryZ (Fig. l) through wires lo 1, 2 and 3 to the electromagnet N at station D, which attracts its armature and causesthe This is at signalman at D that a train is approacliinl i statioud), the hand-lever at that station is automatically unlocked, and the signals are lshifted by the signalman by the series of op- -erations already. explained in connection with jstation C. It is also requisite that the signalman at D should unlock the hand-lever Vatstation C in order'that the signals at the last named point may be' cleared. This is accomplished: as follows :-The movement ofthe hand-leverat station D toblock the li ne,

completes an electric circuit atU from battery Z through electro-magnet Y, causing;` the latch y to be Withdrawn from hand-swltch y. This switch is now thrown on contact y2, after which, by depressing the key T, the signalmau sends a current frombattery Z by way of circuit 4, 5, y, y2, 6, T, '7, 2, R and 8 to switch P2, and thence through electric alarmbell or equivalent device P at station C and thence by wire 9 to the earth. As soon as the 'signalman at station C is thusvnotilied by the -alarm P that the train has passed station D,

. he turns the electric switch 1;,thus diverting the current from D, and cansingvit to pass through wire-10 and electro-magnet M. The

flatter, attracting its armature,withdraws the detentm from the tail of locking-leverll (see Fig. 2) allowing the stop I to yield and permit the pin h of the hand-lever F5 to pass by,and the said lever to be moved into position to clear the signals. The same dperation causes the projection k upon the rod K3 to engage with the lever J and thus restore the-indicator J attached thereto to its original'position,

. indicating line clear, where it is held as bebrought into a position correspondingwith lineblocked,and upon the reverse movement. v

of said lever, grasps ahead g? attached by rod g to stop G, and withdraws thel latter from' beneath the lever B, A(thusleaving the-.latter free to -m'ove,) Aat the same time compressing ithe spring g. The jaws 'ofgthe gripper-are :of two positions; two guides or channels con- Vforth.

made to separate when the rollers on their, rear ends are forced'inwardly by the incline g3, and are thus lcaus'r'ad to release vthe stop G, which by the recoil otjthe spring g then resumes its original position as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, in readiness lf'o operation.

Thus it will be understood'that the organization of the apparatus issnch that each signalman is notified when a train is approaching; that he cannot place hief-lever in' position to enable him'to release thesignal at the next stationin the rear, and permit it to be 'returned to ysafety, vuntil the'traiu has reached the proper place in its progress, i. e. has gone the entire length'of the` bl'ock'; that. if he fails to set his signals, the operation-will nevertheless be eected automatically by the the signals cannot be moved until after-theyhave been unlocked by the action of the signalman at the next station irl-advance; and v that the last named signalman cannot perform this act of .unlocking untilY the train is under the protection of the next signal of the series. l

I'clairn as` my inventionl n 1. In a railway signaling apparatusfthe combination of the visual train-signal; the` hand-lever for shifting the same .into-[either .of two positions, and devices for locking said lever and signal' in each of' said positions; a mechanism mechanically actuattby the impact of a moving train 'for releasing one of said locks as the train enters the'block guarded by said signal, and an electromagnetic apparatus for releasing :the other of' said', locks when said train makesitsexitfrom the block,

substantially as set fort 2. In a railway signaling appara'tu'i-'the combinationof the visual train-signal; the

hand-lever for shifting the samev-int'oeitherof two positions, a lock for retaining said leverand signal in position to indicate clear,.

and a mechanism mechanically actuated by the impact .-of a moving train yfor releasing said lock as the train enters the block guarded by said signal, substantially as set forth.

3. In a railway signaling apparatua'the ,combination of the visual train-signal; the

hand-'lever for svhii'fting the same into eitherA centric with the center of movement of said hand-lever, connected at their respective ends by transverse channels; a pin aliixed to said' hand-lever andad'apted to traverse said channels, and locking-dogswhereby said pin is forced Vto traverse said channels in opposite directions\respectively, substantially as set 4.' In a railway signaling apparatus, the

action of the train on the treadle-bars; that after the line is blocked the signals are locked y in a position indicatingv that condition; that V'treadlev-bar'capable of being depressed by the impact of a mo'vngtrain; a mechanical con- V.nection fromsaid treadle-bar for withdrawe after the 5. In a railway sgnalingj'fa'pparatus, the

combination of the v' nal :train-signal; the hand-lever for shifting the sanloiito either of twolpositions; the rack, pinio and cam, re-

ceiving motion from said hand everand act-` ing through a serment/ leversto'mo'vesaid signal into position indicating lincblocked and` al spring or'spri'ngsfr'restoring said signalto its normal. position without .the assist-- ance of said cam, 'substantially'as Vset-forth.

6. In arailwayf signaling apparatus, the

combination) of'v the l,visual train-signal; the zo mand-lever for shifting the same into positionto indicate line blockedf thevseries of intermediate levers whereby motion is-conin1u nicated from said hand-lever tti-said signal; andthe spring-actuated stop for locking said series of levers and retain-ing said signal in positionv after the hand-lever has been withdrawn, substantially as set `fort-l1.

`'7..In a railway signaling apparatus, the combination of the Visual trainsignal; the hand-lever for shifting the same into position -to indicate line blocked; the series of iuj drawn., and the detachable gripper by which said stop'is withdrawn by a'subseqnent' movement offsaid hand-lever, substantially as set forth. `1 i 8. In a railway signaling apparatus, the.

"combination of vthe -visnal train-signal; the

treadle-bar capable of being depressed by the impact of a moving train; a mechanical connection from said treadle-bar for moving said signalin'to position to indicate line blocked; and a hand-leverv mechanically connected with said treadle-bar whereby it' may be depressed and the signal moved into position, Vin advance of the automatic action thereupon ofthe moving train, substantially-as setfortlr.

9.. In a railway signaling apparatus, thecombination of .the visual train signal; the

t1eadle-ba1-capable of being depressed by ther 4impact of a moving train; a bolt which noir-- 'mally locks said signal in position to indicate' "line clearf a Itr-ainact'uateddevice for automatically withdrawing said bolt, when the. position otthe'signal is to be shifted, and mechanical connection from said treadle-bar for moving saidsignal, when unlocked, into position 4to indicate line blocked substan-' tially as set forth. l

10. 'In a railway signaling apparatus, the combination of. the Visual train signal; the hand-lever for shifting the same; the electricl circuit-closer actu-ated by the movement of said hand-lever for transmitting an electrical impulse to a distant station; an electro-magnet at said distant station which receives and is acted nponby said impulse, and a locked hand-lever for shifting the signal atsaid distant station, which is released by the action of said electro-magnet upon its lock, substantially as set forth.

1L=In a railway signaling apparatus, the

combination with the key or circuit-closer for 'transmitting an' impnlsefor'unlocking thedstant signal, of the switch whereby said key is placed incircuit with the distant station, the-visual train-signal at the home station; the hand-lever for shitting the same into a position to indicate line blocked, and a lock for said key-switch which is withdrawn by said hand-lever or signal when in said position, substantially as set t'orth.

12. In a railway signaling apparatus the combination of the visual trainsignal; shifting mechanism for said signal capable of being'actuated either manually or automatically vupon the entrance of a train into the blocksection guarded by said signal; an electric circnitecloser actuated by said shifting mechanism for transmitting an electric impnlse.in advance of a train to the next signal station in the series; a visual indicator at the last nani'edstation; and an electromagnet, which when energized by said impulsewill cause said indicator toindicate the approach of such train, substantially as set forth.

13. In a railway signaling apparatus, the combination of the visual train-signal, the hand-lever for shifting the same into either of two positions; a lock for retaining said lever in position to indicate line blocked; an

electromagnet for withdrawing said lock when' -beenirdepressed'y by the wheels of a movi-ng train, a spring interposedin and forming part 'of said/,connection and adapted to receive the shock from the impact ot' a moving train upon said treadle, and byits recoil to move said lsignal to indicate danger, and a mechani- 'cal stop which automatically acts to maintain `both the treadle and the signal in 'the positions to which they'have been moved by the passingtrain, until it is subsequently withdrawn by an independently acting force.

15;'Inv a railway signaling apparatus, the combination of treadlc, a .visual signal niechanicallyv connected therewith and adapted tobe moved"l into position to indicate dan- IOO IIO

ger, orfsiitie-blocked when said treadlehas Y been depressed bythe wheels of a. moving train, a. spring interposed in and forming part of said eonnection,and adapted to receive the shock Vfrom the impact of a moving train upon said treadle, end by'it's recoil ,to move saidsignalto indicate dangerfa. mechanical stop which eutomatieally acts to maintain both the treadle and the signal in the positions to which they have been moved bythe passing train, until it is subsequently withdrawn by an independently acting forcegand means fox-j manually withdrwng seid meehanieel-stopA vand returning said treadle and signal .to their normal. positions,

`In Vtestimony:whereof If-liave hereunto'snb- 15 sfrixeduiy naine' the 13th day of April, A.A D. l 9

*MURimYl 'CORRNGTON Witnesses:

MAURICE SPILLANE, FRANKLIN L. POPE. 

